Rest or support for flat-irons or similar articles.



No. 639,709. Patented Dec. 26, I899. F. H. CHASE.

BEST 0R SUPPORT FOR FLAT IBONS'DR SIMILAR ARTICLES. (Application 'filed Apr. .10, 18

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT CEEicE.

FRANK I-I. CHASE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE F. H. CHASE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

REST OR SUPPORT FOR FLAT-IRONS OR SIMILAR ARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,709, dated December 26, 1899.

Application filed April 10, 1899. Serial No. 712,406. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK H. CHASE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rests or Supports for Flat- Irons or Similar Articles, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to that class of devices that are adapted to be attached to a fiat-iron or the handle thereof and to be so manipulated that a base or foot forming a part of the device may be projected down ward to a position below the face of the iron for the purpose of supporting it out of contact with the table when not in use, means being provided for automatically elevating the base or foot to a position above the face of the iron when the iron is lifted.

The object of the invention is to provide a rest or support of this class which shall be simple and inexpensive, but at the same time efficient; and to this end the invention consists in the features of novelty that are herein fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rest or support embodying the invention and of a flat-iron to which it is attached. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with the stem or post of the rest in horizontal section.

A represents a stem or post which preferably consists of a cylindrical bar of iron of sufficient strength to sustainby its resistance to lateral strains the weight of the iron, and B represents a base or foot which is suitably secured to the stem orpost and proceeds laterally therefrom far enough to pass the center of gravity of the iron. This base or foot is preferably made of a single piece of heavy wire bent at its middle to provide a curved loop I), adapted to straddle the handle of the iron, whence its two ends or branches proceed outward, as shown at b, thence downward upon each side of the iron, as shown at b, and thence forward upon each side of the iron, as shown at W, its forward extremities being attached to the stem or post A by some suitable means. As shown in the drawings, the stem is provided with a reduced portion which is passed through perforations through clamping-blocks ct and a, and on the under side of the block a the reduced end of the stem is upset or riveted. The meeting faces of the clamping-blocks are provided with grooves for receiving the ends of the wire of which the base or foot is made. The branches 1) of the foot straddle the body of the iron, so that the foot may be elevated to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The portion 1) or the portions 1) of the base or foot will prevent the base from turning about the stem A far enough to move it out of its operative position. The base or foot is held normally in this elevated position by means of a coiled spring C, which surrounds the stem and bears upward against an enlarged head or thumb-piece A and downward against a bracket or hanger D. This bracket or hanger constitutes the means for connecting the iron or the handle thereof to the stem and for supporting the iron in position above the table, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1. In order to do this, it is provided with a bearing d, through which the stem passes, the fit being such that when the stem is relieved or practically relieved of lateral strains the spring C will move it endwise through the bearing and bring it to the position indicated by dotted lines, while at the same time a considerable lateral strain, such as will be produced by the weight of the iron, will cause the stem to bind in the bearing, and thereby prevent its endwise movement. 7 i

In order to attach the bracket to the iron or to the handle thereof, it is provided with a pair of clamping-jaws d, through which a screw E is passed, a thumb-nut E being turned onto the screw for closing the jaws. Preferably one of the jaws is integral with the bearing d, while the other consists of a loose plate or casting held in place by the screw E. With this arrangement if pressure be exerted upon the thumb-piece A and the stemAbe thereby depressed to bring the footB below the face of the iron, as shown by full lines, and While being held in this position the base or foot be brought to bear upon the table or ironing-board and the grasp upon the iron released the iron will tend to produce a lateral movement of the bearing (1 with respect to the stem A, and this lateral movement will cause the bearing to bind upon the stem, and thereby prevent it from sliding endwise thereon. This binding will be sufficient to hold the iron in the elevated position, as shown. If now the iron be simply lifted to take its weight off of the base or foot, the spring C will exert a direct end wise pressure upon the stem and cause it to move endwise through the bearing (Z, thereby elevating the base or foot to the position indicated by dotted lines and bringing it sufficiently above the working face of the iron to be out of the way.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. Arest or holder for flatirons, having two parts in ouuted to slide up and down relatively to each other, a base or foot proceeding laterally from one of said parts, means for attaching the other of said parts to the iron, means for relatively moving said parts to bring the base or foot below the face of the iron, means for thereafter securing said parts together so as to support the iron with its face above the table, and means for relatively moving said parts to elevate the base or foot, substantially as set forth.

2. Arest having, in combination, a stem or post, a base or foot proceeding laterally therefrom, a bracket or hanger having a bearing engaging the stem or post, said stem being freely movable through the bearing when subjected to endwise strains and adapted to bind therein when subjected to lateral strains, and means for moving the stem endwise through the bearing for lifting the base or foot to a position above the face of the iron, substantially as set forth.

3. A rest having, in combination, a stem or post, a base or foot proceeding laterall y therefrom, a bracket or hanger having a bearing for engaging the stem, said stem being freely movable through the bearing when subjected to endwise strains and adapted to bind therein when subjected to lateral strains, and a spring for moving the stem through the bearing when the stem is relieved of lateral strains, substantially as set forth.

4. A rest having, in combination, a stem or post, a base or foot proceeding laterally therefrom, and adapted to straddle the body of the iron, a bracket or hanger having a bearing engaging the stem, said stem being freely movable through the bearing when subjected to endwise strains and adapted to bind there in when subjected to lateral strains, and means for automatically moving the stem through the bearing and thereby elevating the base or foot when the stem is relieved of lateral strains, substantially as set forth.

5. A rest having, in combination, a stem or post, a bracket or hanger having a bearing engaging the stem, said stem being freely movable through the bearing when subjected to endwise strains and adapted to bind therein when subjected to lateral strains, means for securing the bracket or hanger to the front of the iron, means for automatically moving the stem upward through the bearing when the stem is relieved of lateral strains, and a base or foot proceeding from the stem laterally and rearward, said base or foot being shaped to straddle the body of the iron, substantially as set forth.

6. A rest having, in combinatioma base or foot made of a piece of wire bent to provide a central loop I) adapted to straddle the han die of the iron, portions 1) proceeding horizontally therefrom, portions Z) proceeding downward alongside of the body of the iron, and portions 1) proceeding forward along the body of the iron, a stem or post to which the forward portion of the base or footis attached, a bracket or hanger having a bearing through which the stem or post passes, said stem bein g freely movable through the bearing when subjected to endwise strains and adapted to bind therein when subjected to lateral strains, and means for automatically moving the stem endwise through the bearing when the stem is relieved of lateral strains, substantially as set forth.

7. A rest having, in combination, a stem or post provided at its upper end with a thumbpiece, a bracket or hanger for attaching the stem or post to the front part of theiron, said bracket having a bearing through which the stem is freely movable endwise when subjected to endwise strains and in which the stem is adapted to bind when subjected to lateral strains, a coiled spring interposed between the bearing and thumb-piece, and a foot proceeding from the stem laterally and rearward past the center of gravity of the iron, substantially as set forth.

FRANK ll. CHASE.

'Witnesses:

L. M. HOPKINS, l O. SIMS. 

